China has begun construction on what it claims will be the largest hydropower project in the world, a $170 billion undertaking that could provide Britain with enough electricity annually.
After Premier Li Qiang presented the plan over the weekend, Chinese construction and engineering stocks soared. The project eclipses the powerful Three Gorges Dam, which is presently the largest in the world.
The project promises Beijing jobs, clean energy, and a boost to its faltering economy. The Yarlung Zangbo becomes the Brahmaputra in Bangladesh and India, a lifeline for millions of people, igniting long-standing concerns about water security for neighbors downstream.
